Storage house



June 14, 1932. c. L. JONES ET AL STORAGE HOUSE Filed Nov. l:50, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet DDD oooouuoocnoooocoo ol cuoco-0060i) CODO ITV.

ATTORNEY June 14, 1932. C ,L' JONES ET AL 1,863,484

STORAGE HOUSE Filed NOV. 50, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 in ik a ATTORNEY Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED CHARLES L. J' ONES, 0F IPELHAM, AND WILLIAM L. KUEHNL-E, 0F GARDEN' CITY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO DRYICE CORPORATION OF AMERICA, 0F NEW YORK, N. .'Y., .A

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE STORAGE HOUSE Appucation mea November so, 192e. serial No. 410,747.

This invention relates to what are commonly called storage houses and more particularly to that type of storage house in which a refrigerant is stored.

The specic object in View has been the storing of solid carbon dioxide, in such a way as to reduce the evaporation losses to a minimum, thereby to make it commercially possible to store this product in large quanf tities, for long periods, but various features of our invention are applicable to the storage of other refrigerants.

It is an object of this invention to provide at a reasonable cost a storage structure that will eiciently maintain the stored refrigerant in substantially its original condition, and at the same time permit of quick and easy removal from or placing in the structure of the material tobe stored.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the removal of objectionable gases from within the structure, and to replace the same with fresh or pure air.

A still further Objectis to provide a means whereby the storage space is either lessened or enlarged to conform, substantially to the volume of material within the structure and an arrangement whereby a minimum of exposure of the storage space is necessitated during either the removal from or placing in the structure of the m'aterial to be stored.

It will be seen by reference to the accompanying drawings and specication that we have provided a structure that will efficiently store either a refrigerant itself or a material to be refrigerated.

There are many changes in details that can be made without departing from the scope of our invention, which changes might be desirable to efficiently store and handle di'erent materials, but, as above indicated, We have shown our invention as embodied in a structure peculiarly adapted for the storage of solid carbon dioxide in large quantities, not meaning to be restricted to this particular use or mode of storage.

Heretofore it has been considered impractical and not feasible to store solid carbon clioxide in very large quantities for long periods, because of the great losses due to the evaporation of the solid.

Another dilculty was that the storage space in which the stored product is kept and which must be refrigerated, either by the stored product itself or by other means, remains of constant volume while the volume of the stored product is reduced from full Our invention overcomes these diiculties and supplies a storage house of simple construction, high elciency and at a very reasonable expenditure.

The above and other features of our invention will be more obvious from the following description of a specific embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View of the storage plant, some of the mechanism being shown in elevation;

Fig'. 1a is a detail plan of the turn table viewed in the direction of the arrows on line la 1a, Fig. l;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1 showing the movable platform or false roof, in plan view;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of a modied form of the latter, partly in section;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; s

Fig. 5 is a plan view of another modification of the. false roof;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a fragment-al detail from Fig. l, but on a larger scale and showing additional details. Y

In these figures, which are all more or less diagrammatic, the storage house, A, is indicated as preferably having' a substantial proportion of its height located below the earths surface, the distance depending on the height of the building, the condition of the earth under the surface and various other circumstances peculiar to construction problems and local conditions. It is well known that the deeper the house is sunk below the surface of the earth, the more will be the natural insulation obtained thereby and the more constant will be the temperature within the structure, particularly during the warmer weather when the temperature of the atmosphere 'is high in comparison to that of the earth. Of course the .deeper the foundation is dug, the greater will be the cost and to economize on this particular operation We find that it serves the purpose almost as well to pile earth against and around the outside wall as high as is practical. For instance, the house may be sunk about one quarter of the height of the refrigerating chamber and then the earth piled up another quarter of the height of the chamber or as mentioned above to whatever height is practical, in this way the chamber is surrounded to practically half of its height by earth.

To make all parts of the chamber uniformly accessible and of a uniform temperature, it is preferable that it be cylindrical in cross section, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. However, if preferred, it may be octagonal as shown in Fig. 5, or it may be square or hexagonal, or as many sided as desired.

The outer wall 2 may be of concrete construction or as preferred. This may be lined with a suitable gas-proof material 3 adapted not only to prevent the entrance of water vapor or other undesirable elements, but also and equally important, to prevent the escape of carbon dioxide gas from within the chamber. In this connection it is to be noted that many waterproof materials are quite permeable to carbon Vdioxide gas. Hence, we prefer to use metal, or metal foil, or metal foil coated in asphalted paper, or even asphalt alone. These are merely illustrative of linings. layers or membranes which may be employed for this purpose. Within such lining is a layer 4 of any heat insulating material, such as cork, and within this is the interior wall 5, preferably nia-de of wood or any suitable material to protect the insulation against mechanical damage.

This wall construction ma)7 be substantially as set forth in the pending application of '1). H. Killefer, Ser. No. 343,859, thus providing Walls saturated with carbon dioxide gas and at the same time preventing the escape 4of the gas and in-leak of air and moisture.

A ceiling-like member 6 supports a motor or any suitable means to rotate a turn table or rotatable section 8 carried by the ceiling 6. The beams 9 supporting the section 6 carry a circular L beam 1() which acts as a track for the rollers 11 that are fastened to the section 8. There is an electric current conducting strip'12 around the edge of the rack 13 but insulated therefrom. This rack in cooperation with the gear 14 rotates the section 8. The brush 15 carrying electric current from any source contacts with the strip 12 to furnish current for the motor 16. There is an opening 17 through the section 8 to accommodate vertical movements of the conveyorl 19.

Suspending elements such as wire cables 2O lead from the motor 16 over the pulleys 21 to raise or lower a movable platform or lfollower 22. Any suitable means may be used to accomplish this result.

This movable platform 22 is in the nature of a false roof, it is rotatable and vertically movable, it acts as a follower, in that, as the volume of the stored product is reduced the platform is lowered, thereby maintaining at a minimum the space that must be refr1geraty ed. There are various ways of constructing it, three of which we have shown in the drawings. The form to be used depends on several contingencies and will have to be chosen according to surrounding circumstances. In Fig. 1 we have disclosed one of the preferred forms, it being constructed substantially hollow to form a chamber to be used as a special refrigerant container for preservation of the solid carbon dioxide or other perishable product stored below it in storage space 34. We prefer to use solid carbon dioxide as the supplemental refrigerant and we utilize the chamber 22 not only to hold the refrigerant but to make the same therein. In other words, it is what is known in the artof making solid carbon dioxide as an expansion or snow chamber. Liquid carbon dioxide is led in through a pipe to a plurality of nozzles and allowed to expand rapidly, forming solid carbon dioxide. The excess gas is carried back to the source or disposed of as desired. It may be used as refrigerant, or as insulation, or as preservative where the perishable product stored is not solid carbon dioxide, or where gas or air leaks have developed.

23 and 24 represent the lower and upper plates respectively and these are preferably of metal. 25 are supporting beams, 26 cork, hair-felt or any suitable insulating material and 27 are openings through the beams 25 so that all sections of the chamber are intercommunicating. The tank 28 represents any source of liquid carbon dioxide, but any desired means for supplying the liquid carbon dioxide and for collecting and reliquefying the resulting unsolidified gas, may be employed. 29 are the inlet pipes through which the liquid carbon dioxide is introduced into the expansion chamber and 30, a slightly larger pipe, is a low pressure gas exhaust for the purpose of disposing of the excess gas in the chamber. Both 29 and 30 should enter the chamber at a number of different places in order to produce uniform distribution of the solid carbon dioxide and draw off gas from all sections of the chamber. v

When any system in which the liquid carbon dioxide is brought in from an outside source. the lead-in pipe preferably is sectional so that it can be lengthened or shortened as the false roof is lowered or raised. Its lower end may be provided with two swivel joints in order that it may work on the principle of a toggle to reach the nearest intake nozzle, as the position of the nozzles are changed by rotation of the false roof 22. The exhaust gas pipe 30 also has a plurality of connections and a flexible section 31 for the same reasons as above set out in connection with the intake pipe. The gas may be returned to the system or vented to the atmosphere or disposed of in whatever manner is suitable. 32 is a flexible skirt disposed around the upper edge of the false roof in such a manner as to prevent the exchange of gases from the regions above and below the false roof.

In some suitable section of the false roof is provided a radial slot 33 through which the stored product may be introduced into the space 34 or Withdrawn from it. We prefer to close this slot with a plurality of small heat insulated closures, shown as lids 3,5. This provides a series of hatches whereby a small section or a comparatively large section of any part of the storage area may be accessible while exposing a minimum of the refrigerated space and stored product. Beside the slot, conveniently placed, is any form of conveyor 36, suitable for transfer of the product to or from conveyor 19. Conveyor 19 is mounted on and preferably partly or wholly carried by the false roof, by support 37; and it, as Well as all the other conveyors, may be of a conventional type and consequently will not require a detailed explanation. A cam 38 is slidably mounted on 37 and positioned in tho ath of the conveyor 19 so that the product eing elevated will contact with the cam and be forced from the conveyor. A motor 39 operates the conveyor 19. 40 are counterbalancing weights attached by means of suitable cables 41 and swivel 42 to the upper end of the conveyor 19. The electric current for this motor, may be su plied in any desired Way, as through an or inary cable, with an automatic take up, such as a spring type reel, that will allow .for the vertical movement of the conveyor and automatically take up the slack.` An ordinary' roller or other suitable type conveyor 45, surrounds the conveyor 19 and extends out overthe roof of the house to a point adjacent another conveyor 46 that may be operated by any means such as the mot4or 47 and be supported by suitable brackets 8.

A suction pump 49 and a sectional or iexible pipe or conduit 50 extends to a point near the top side of the false roof, and if sectional, the sections may be removed or replaced as the false roof is moved up or down.

All joints, and all places at which pipes or rivets enter the chamber, should be welded in order to provide a chamber that is gas tight.

ln Figs. 3 and 4 is disclosed one of the modified forms of the false roof. In this form, the supporting beams 51 are hollow. The liquid carbon dioxide intake pipe 29 has a lead-in to each of the hollow sections, these sections functioning the same as the expansion chamber described in Figs. 1 and 2. Preferably, all the sections converge toward one point and are welded into a circular center chamber 52 from which chamber the gas exhaust conduit 30 carries off the excess gas.

Fig. 4 is a section of Fig. 3 taken on the line 4 4 and looking in the direction of the l Fig. 5 is a further modification of the false' roof and is applicable to buildings that are not round. lt preferably consists of an under skeleton frame structure 53 and an upper r0- tatable disc 54 mounted on a pinion 55 and a piece of fabric 56 or some other material around its outer edge on the under side to make as near as practical a gasproof seal between the discl 54 and the inward extension 57 of the frame 53. 1n this form, while the entire structure cannot be rotated, the disc 54 may be, and the slot 33 to permit access to the storage space below is located in the rotatable disc. This form is more adaptable when the use of a refrigerating medium within the false roof is not contemplated.

The' upper plate of the form disclosed in Fig. 3 need not necessarily be of' metal but may be of any suitable material or construction, e. g., a'wood floor as a base and insulat-ion mounted thereon. But the lower plate should be metal in order to distribute the low temperature of the refrigerant in the hollow members over the entire face of the false root.

The operation is as follows: The chamber l within the false roof is filled with the desired amount of refrigerant, the gas exhaust 30 is left in open position. The product to be stored is raised by means of the conveyor 46 and either automatically or manually shifted to the conveyor 45, then to the conly inclined cables may be employed to apply a greater rotating component; or a spline or other suitable connectlon may be added between the conveyor support 37 and the section 8 whereby to additionally transmit rotation of the section 8 to the false roof 22 while at the same time to permit the conveyor support 37 to slide up and down, through the dovetail or like connection. After a complete revolution of 22 or when another layer of the stored product has been placed in the space 34 the `false roof is raised the desired distance through means of the motor 16 and cables 20. A section of therventilation pipe is removed as 22 is raised. This cycle is repeated until the chamber is. filled to the desired height. p

To remove the product,'the above operation is merely reversed.

Any means that is deemed the most practical may be used to operate the Various units. For example, the section 8 may be manually rotated or the false roof 22 may be elevated by means of a screw, in fact, there are quite a number of different ways by which the mere mechanical units may be operated.

We claim:

1. A storage chamber, the walls and bottom of which are insulated and substantially asproof, a substantially gasproof movable alse roof, a skirt extending from the outer edge of said false roof and contacting with said side walls whereby a substantially gasproof seal is provided.

2. A storage chamber, the Walls and bot.

tom of which are insulated and substantially asproof, a movable substantially gasproof 'alse roof, a skirt extending from the edge of said false roof and contacting with said walls, openings through said false roof whereby to permit access to the space below said false roof.

3. A storage chamber., comprising an outer structure, an inner movable false roof, part of said false roof comprising a refrigerating chamber in which a refrigerant is made and held and another part of said false roof containing openings extending through the false roof and closed by a plurality of clo.

sures whereby the amount of the storage space exposed to the atmosphere is in proportion to the number of closures removed.

4. A cylindrical insulated storage chamber, the walls and bottom of which are gasproof, an inner movable insulated gasproof false roof, openings through said false roof and a means to remove the stored product from within the chamber.

5. A cylindrical insulated storage chamber, the walls and bottom of which are gasproof, an inner movable insulated gasproof false roof suspended from a rotatable section of the ceiling whereby when said section is rotated said false roof will bc rotated.

G. A solid carbon dioxide storage structure of the class described, comprising a movable false roof, a storage space below said false roof, openings through said false roof to permit withdrawal of the stored product, conveyor means mounted on the top side of'said false roof whereby to facilitate removal from said chamber of said stored product.

7. A solid-carbon dioxide storage structure of the class described, including a movable false roof, a solid carbon dioxide storage s ace below the false roof, openings through t e false roof for withdrawal of said solid carbon dioxide, a conveyor means mounted on the top side of said false roof and means to automatically remove said solid carbon dioxide from said conveyor to a second conveyor.

. 8. In a storage chamber, -an outer structure, an inner movableA false roof, a source of liquid carbon dioxide, conduits within the false roof having openings for admission of the said liquid carbon dioxide, the said conduits converging to a central chamber and a gas exhaust pipe leading from said chamber.

9. In a storage chamber,an outer structure, an inner movable false roof comprising a lower skeleton frame and a rotatable disc mounted on said frame.

l0. A storage chamber having heat-insulated, substantially gas-tight walls and bottom, a movable closure therefor and means for refrigerating the interior of said closure.

1l. A storage chamber having heat-insulated, substantially gas-tight walls and bottom, a movable closure therefor and means for discharging and permitting expansion of liquid carbon dioxide in the interior of said closure to refrigerate the same.

l2. A storage chamber having heat-insulated, substantially gas-tight walls and bottom, a movable closure therefor and means for discharging and permitting expansion of liquid carbon dioxide in the interior of said closure to refrigerate the same, and suitable conduits for collecting the evaporated carbon dioxide gas.

13. A storage chamber having heat-insulated, substantially gas-tight walls and bottom, a movable closure therefor and means for introducing dry carbon dioxide gas into the interior .of said closure.

14. A storage chamber having heat-insulated, substantially gas-tight walls and bottom, a movable closure therefor and means forintroducing solid carbon dioxide into the interior of said closure.

15. A storage chamber having a substantially gas-tight bottom and side Walls, and an inner vertically movable false roof containing a gas-tight space, a source of liquid carbon dioxide and means for discharging it into said space, and a low pressure gas exhaust pipe leading from said space so as to permit expansion of said liquid to produce llO Lacasse Solid refrigerant and therein.

16. A storage chamber the walls and bottom of which are insulated and substantially gas-proof, a vertically movable false roof substantially fitting the walls of said chamber and formed with gas-tight spaces containing solid carbon dioxide.

17. A storage chamber the walls and bottom of which are insulated and substantially gas-proof, a vertically movable false roof substantially fitting the walls of said chamber, said false roof being provided with a series of openings with removable closures whereby access may be had to the space below said roof.

18. A storage chamber the Walls and bottom of which arc insulated and substantially gas-proof, a vertically movable false roof substantially fitting the walls of said chamber, said false root being provided with a series of openings with removable closures whereby access may be had to the space below said roof at various points at different radial' distances from the center, and means for rotating said false roof.

19. A storage chamber the walls and bottom of which are insulated and substantially gas-proof, a false roof and means forraising and lowering and rotating the latter, said means including a high level turn table and means for suspending said false root therefrom.

20. A storage chamber the walls and bottom of which are insulated and substantially gas-proof, a false roof and means for raising and lowering and rotating the latter, said means including a high level turn table and cold insulating gas adjustable means for suspending said false roof therefrom, said turn table having an opening through which solid carbon dioxide may be lowered or raised by suitable mecha.- msm.

2l. A storage chamber comprising an outer structure and an inner false roof fitting said structure and vertically movable therein, said false roof containing openings extending through the same and closed by a plurality of closures whereby the amount of storage space exposed to the atmosphere is in proportion to the number of closures removed.

22. A storage chamber comprising an outer structure and an inner false roof fitting said structure and vertically movable therein, said false roof containing openings extending through the same and closed by a plurality of closures whereby the amount of storage space exposed to the atmosphere is in proportion to the number of closures removed, and means for rotating the part containing said openings so as to circularly shift them over diierent portions of said chamber.

23. A storage chamber the walls and bottom of which are insulated and substantially gas-proof, a vertically movable false roof of approximately the size and shape of the horizontal section of said chamber, said false roof being provided with a radially arranged opening or openings whereby access may be had to the space below said rootl at various points at different radial distances from the cener; and means for rotating said false roo 24. A storage chamber the walls and bottom of which are insulated and substantially gas-proof, a false roof and means for raising and lowering and rotating the latter, said means including a high level turn table and means for suspending said false roof therefrom, said false roof carrying a radially extending conveyer.

25. A storage chamber the walls and bottom of which are insulated and substantially gas-proof, a false roof and means for raising and lowering and rotating the latter, said means including a high level turn table and means for suspending said false roof therefrom, said false roof carrying a radially extending conveyer, and formed with an opening or openings adjacent said conveyer.

26. A storage chamber the walls and bottom of which are insulated, a vertically movable false roof of approximately the size and shape of the horizontal section of said chamber, a part of said false roof being provided with a radially arranged opening or openings whereby access may be had to the space below the roof at different radial distances from the center.

27. A storage chamber the walls and bottom of which are insulated, a vertically movable false root of approximately the size and shape of the horizontal section of said chamber, a part of said false roof being provided with a radially arranged opening or openings wherebyv access may be had to the space below the roof at different radial distances from the center, and means whereby said parts may be shifted circumferentially over dierent radial sectors of said space.

28. A storage chamber the walls and bottom of which are insulated, a vertically movable false roof of approximately the size and shape of the horizontal section of said chamber, a part of said false roof being provided with a radially arranged opening or openings whereby access may be had to the space below the roof at di'erent radial distances from the center, a radially arranged conveyor extending adjacent said radially extending opening or openings, and means whereby said parts may be shifted circumferentlally over different radial sectors of said space.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 27th day of November, A. D. 1929.

CHARLES L. JONES. WILLIAM L. KUEHNLE. 

